D2C Brands Manage Rising Costs With Bulk Buys, Selective Hikes

Some online consumer brands are paying more for materials, packaging and delivery.

To control costs, they are buying supplies in larger quantities and improving their warehouses and supply chains.

Plum and Kapiva have raised some prices because they could not absorb all the extra costs.

Open Secret bought materials before prices rose and added warehouses to reduce delivery expenses.

Kapiva also began offering buy-now-pay-later payments.

About one-fifth of its prepaid orders later moved to this payment option.

The brands said customers have not significantly reduced their purchases after the price increases.

They do not currently plan more increases, although future changes could take time to reach stores because existing inventory remains.